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The reconstruction of Fengcheng and Fengjing towns began over the weekend, with both communities planned with a distinct living style when complete in 10 years.
Fengcheng Town in Fengxian District is set to take on a Spanish style fashioned after Barcelona. Fengjing Town in Jinshan District, is to be built in a concise North American style.
With the two towns beginning construction, each of Shanghai's nine suburban districts is now engaged in satellite town development, according to officials. Chongming County, whose overall development plan is still under discussion, is the exception.
The suburban development project is listed as a priority in the city's 10th Five-year Plan (2001-2005). The focus is on shifting development from urban areas to the suburbs.
"So far, the two remote towns lag behind other pilot towns," said Vice Mayor Zhou Yupeng. "However, they have the advantage of lower business costs and large undeveloped areas."
Marcia Codinachs Design House of Spain won the bidding to design Fengcheng Town, which lies in the city's southern suburb. It will be built into an economic and green tourism town with a pleasant environment.
The central township will cover 16.08 square kilometers with a population of 72,000. Manufacturing of modern logistics equipment will become the town's pillar industry, together with other processing industries and tourism.
A 5.7-kilometer landscape avenue, to be built next month, will become the center of the town. It will be decorated with Spanish sculpture, lamps and artware.
An area featuring an ecological forest, a forest park and a modern agricultural park of about 60 square kilometers, will be built.
Fengcheng, which used to be a military garrison, will keep its traditional appearance in a two-square-kilometer township with its ancient wall, city moat and bluestone lanes.
Fengjing Town, at the city's southwestern gate to Zhejiang Province, will imitate American suburban towns.
The township is planned to cover eight square kilometers with a population of 75,000. It will support such industry as the manufacture of garment machinery. An international garment machinery industrial area is currently being constructed.
(eastday.com June 30, 2003)
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